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| - A little off the beaten path, the restaurant is housed in an old Slavic church. Owners David Beddia and Sandra Cassaro have maintained some of the original architecture, namely the wooden ceilings with suspended lights which emulate organ pipes. All along the restaurant you'll find dimly lit candles, but the focal point is definitely the altar (kitchen), which sits on an elevated platform where Fabio Sacca prepares his holy sacraments. Behind the bar you'll find classic Italian movies such as Bicycle Thieves (Ladri di biciclette) playing on one of two flat screen televisions.
While the cuisine is undisputedly Italian, the dishes are untypically so. Fabio's meatballs are something that mama used to make, but it's definitely not mama's average meatballs.
The holy water is definitely not used for sprinkling, though it definitely gets my blessing. The list alludes to scriptures in Genesis with names like Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel. I wasn't such an avid pupil in Sunday school, so I opted for the Ascension Lemonade ($10), a vodka-based drink with simple syrup, lemon juice and soda. My dining companion opted for the Holy Caesar ($11), which was light on salt but big on flavour. The cocktails at Church are almost double the size of your usual, and very fairly priced.
For those of you who enjoy dining communal-style, the menu lists two prices. The left refer to single portions, while the right refers to communal portions for a minimum 4-person count. With all the yummy dishes at Church, communal is definitely the way to go so that you can try a little bit of everything.
We feasted on a generous roster of menu items handpicked by the chef. To start we sampled a selection of Italian Sashimi (market price). Tonight's features included: Wild Salmon from the West Coast topped with a medley of roasted chopped nuts, King Fish from Boston drizzled in lemon olive oil, Yellowfin Tuna topped with olive oil and balsamic, Icelandic Arctic Char topped with diced celery and my favourite, Spigola (from Italy) topped with chives. A great starter dish, and great pairings to highlight the various types of fish.
Next up, was the Gnoccho Fritto ($13), a new addition to the menu and a personal favourite. It was a very nostalgic dish that reminded me of my childhood days when I played with food. Slices of prosciutto di Parma are stuffed into the gnoccho fritto with a smear of Fontina for added flavour. A very fun and unique dish!
I do love myself a good French fry, but I think Church has converted me as I couldn't get enough of the Polenta Fries ($9) which are baked and then fried for added crispiness. For those of you who like to dip your fries, you may choose from a spicy tomato sauce or creamy Gorgonzola, Fontina and truffle sauce, which would be my pick of the two.
The Veal and Pork Meatballs ($9) melt in your mouth with a homemade traditional Sugo sauce. I couldn't help but giggle at the thought that these resembled capezzoli di venere (chocolate truffles dubbed Venus' nipples). I shall excuse myself from the table to receive confession now...
And how could an Italian meal be complete without pasta right? The Spaghetti alla Chitarra ($14) blossomed on to my plate with shrimps adoring the borders. It is sprinkled with bottarga di Mugine (a cured fish roe) which really made the dish. The zucchini was a tad bit soft, but overall a great dish.
And taking a detour from Italy, we ate Triple A Angus Ribeye Sliders ($14) which needed no condiments at all. They were naturally flavourful, extremely juicy and utterly amazing. The Fontina worked well to tone down the Gorgonzola and there was just enough cheese to complete the mouth-feel of the slider. Given the choice, I'd opt for another slider in place of the fries.
Our evening finished off with a Mille Feuille dessert layered with pastry cream that is made fresh daily. The layers were thin and the dessert was luscious.
I really enjoyed my evening at Church - from the ambiance, to the décor, service and food. I love Italian food, but sometimes you just get bored of the same old same old. The creative spins that Fabio is taking on his menu are a real hit for me and refreshing for someone who dines out not infrequently.
If you still aren't convinced here's a little incentive for you. From Tuesday to Saturday nights from 5-7PM, you can enjoy complimentary antipasti and stuzzichini with the purchase of a drink. Wednesday nights also feature a 5-course tasting menu at a cost of $50.
The only question left is - when are we going to Church?
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